MINI PUBLICITY KIT
The Doris Day Animal Foundation has adopted the Neuter or Spay commemorative stamps as their theme for
the eighth annual Spay Day USA, part of the American
Partnership for Pets' (APP) annual effort to promote responsible pet care. Spay Day USA is the APP's premier
national day of action to promote the spaying and neutering of companion animals. Each year the effort is organized to:
• Raise public awareness that of the estimated 8-10
million animals taken in by our nation's animal shelters annually, approximately 4-5 million are
euthanized.
• Promote spaying/neutering as a part of the solution
to this problem for health and behavioral reasons
and to prevent the births of accidental and unwanted litters.
• Inspire every American to take personal responsibility for preventing the births of accidental and unwanted litters by sponsoring the spaying or neutering of at least one animal.
On September 20, 2002, the U.S. Postal Service issued the Neuter or Spay stamps, and 200 million of them
were printed. The issuance of these stamps was the culmination of a grassroots campaign by thousands of citizens, community leaders, animal health and welfare organizations, veterinarians, and celebrities. The primary goal
of the stamps is to raise awareness of the importance of
neutering and spaying pets - a goal whose message can
be relayed through this year's Spay Day USA event.
Host an unveiling or special dedication of the Neuter or
Spay stamps with the participation of local animal welfare
organizations and veterinarians. Involve communities and
build local partnerships. Remember: When planning
events, make sure sufficient stamps are available. Additionally, the Postal Service is pleased to have the tremendous support of the APP for these events. The
partnership is an unprecedented coalition of leading
animal health and welfare organizations that have united
to stand behind the Neuter or Spay stamps. The APP has
distributed 8,000 action kits inviting community veterinarians and animal welfare organizations to contact you to
help publicize the Neuter or Spay stamps. You are also
invited to post your events on the www.pets911.com Web site. If you need help, send them an e-mail message at postmaster@pets911.com. You can learn about
the APP program and how it can benefit you at www.americanpartnershipforpets.org.
• Distribute flyers with information about spay/neuter
issues.
• Set up a Neuter or Spay stamps display in your
lobby.
• Hold a raffle in which anyone who spays/neuters an
animal for Spay Day USA is eligible to win Neuter or
Spay stamps merchandise.
• Sponsor an essay-writing contest with local schools
on "The Importance of Neutering and Spaying Your
Pets." Ask the postmaster, a local veterinarian, the
director of the local animal shelter, and a teacher to
be the judges. Award a framed sheet of stamps or a
blow-up of the stamps to the winner.
• Sponsor an essay-writing and picture-drawing contest with local grade schools on "What My Pet
Means to Me." Hang some of the best essays and
cutest drawings in Post Offices, local veterinarians'
offices, and local animal shelters.
• Present framed enlargements of the new stamps to
local animal shelters and veterinarians. Encourage local political officials to attend presentations
to raise awareness of the issue within your
community.
• Coordinate groups of children - children of Postal
Service employees, Boy Scout and Girl Scout
troops, 4-H Clubs, etc. - to write letters to shelter
animals to be displayed on the Post Office bulletin
board and published in the local newspaper, giving
the animals a better opportunity to be adopted by
loving families.
• Arrange for a pet health fun fair where local veterinarians can host booths promoting the importance
of neutering and spaying pets, pet dental health, pet
vaccination, etc. The local shelter can display
adoptable pets; and pet supply stores can sell or
display pet foods, pet toys, and other cat- and dog-
related items.
• Sponsor a pet show with local 4-H Clubs, Boy and
Girl Scouts, etc. with a special category and special
prize for neutered and spayed pets.
• Sell Neuter or Spay stamps merchandise in your
lobbies or at special events to help raise awareness
of pet overpopulation.
Liven up your Spay Day USA event with official licensed spay or neuter products - now available for resale or promotional giveaways. Merchandise includes: lapel pins, tote bags, insulated travel mugs, t-shirts,
ceramic mugs, stationery, magnetic notepads, and postcards.
Offering products featuring the Neuter or Spay commemorative stamps images at your event provides a
perfect way to promote the spay/neuter message and
support the APP. In addition, a generous portion of sales
is donated to the APP to support their effort to end the
tragedy of less and unwanted pets. To order official
licensed Spay or Neuter stamps merchandise, please call
Jennifer Houston or Jeanni Capell of U.S. Allegiance, Inc.
at 800-327-1402.
Post Offices can also purchase Spay or Neuter stamps
merchandise for lobby resale through the Official
Licensed Retail Product (OLRP) program - another
effective means of supporting the spay/neuter message.
Contact your district retail manager for details on how to
participate or go to http://blue.usps.gov; click Headquarters, then click Retail, then click Merchandise, and then click OLRP - Official Licensing Retail Product
Program. You can also purchase the products through
eBuy at http://ebuy.usps.gov.
Implement any of these ideas, combine them, or brainstorm with your employees to come up with ideas of your
own. Be sure to publicize every event to your local newspaper and radio and television stations, and don't forget to
list them on the www.pets911.com Web site. Send a letter
or press release and follow up with a telephone call.
To obtain stamp enlargements and color reproductions
of the Spay or Neuter stamps, contact:
LORI LIPKIND
DODGE COLOR
4827 RUGBY AVE STE 1000
BETHESDA MD 20814-3034
E-mail: loril@dodgecolor.com
Telephone: 301-656-0025, ext. 230
There are no philatelic products for this stamp issue.
For licensing inquiries and instructions on using the Neuter or Spay stamps images, call licensing at
202-268-6745 or send an e-mail message to licensing@usps.com.
To obtain additional information for press releases and
local media, contact your local Public Affairs and Communications office.
- Community Relations,
Public Affairs and Communications, 2-6-03 |
